What is Google’s MUM, and How Will it Alter Search?
Google is developing a new artificial intelligence technology for search called Multitask Unified Model, or MUM for short. This innovative new tech from the search giant looks to revolutionize how users search for and find answers to complex questions that don’t have simple and direct answers.
But what exactly is MUM? And how does it work?
Like its other proprietary technologies, Google has kept mum on how its Multitask Unified Model works. Still, the company has released details about how this tech may help web users with more advanced search queries and questions.
Google says it developed MUM to help cut down on the number of searches a user will need to conduct to find a proper answer. So, instead of drilling down to find an answer by entering three or four consecutive searches, in the future, MUM may help you to find that answer with just one search.
MUM is built on the same system as Google’s BERT, released in 2019. MUM and BERT are Natural Language Processing (NLP) models that help Google understand language better to serve more relevant results. However, according to Google, MUM is 1000x more powerful than BERT!
What Else Do We Know About MUM?
Google classifies its Multitask Unified Model as AI technology. In this context, MUM is like a bigger, more powerful brain for the Google search engine.
What makes MUM so powerful? It’s Multilingual, Multitasking and Multimodal.
As its name implies, Google’s Multitask Unified Model is highly advanced at multitasking, which is why it could prove to be a game-changer in the world of search. It can understand and interpret multiple aspects of a question or search query, such as comparing two or more items and finding detailed answers.
At this time, it can understand 75 languages and accomplish many tasks at once, such as interpreting multiple inputs via text and images.
In the future, its multitasking capabilities will be expanded to audio and video as well, making MUM an all-in-one tool for understanding a multitude of complex inputs at once.
MUM’s multimodality means that it can absorb information from different sources and inputs. In other words, it can interpret how images and text relate to each other. For instance, this AI search technology could allow users to ask questions about photos or images and get detailed answers pulled from authoritative sources.
How Could MUM Affect SEO?
As with many Google products and updates, it’s too early to tell how its Multitask Unified Model will change the SEO landscape.
One possibility is that specific keywords will lose importance as more natural language and search queries take hold with the power of MUM.
If anything is for certain, it’s that digital marketers and businesses must continue to adapt their SEO strategy to Google’s search technologies, and MUM surely won’t be the last significant update.
Stay tuned to the fusionZONE blog for more industry insights and news. As always, feel free to reach out to our experts for assistance with optimizing your business’s digital presence.
